Diabetes alters neurite regeneration from mouse retinal explants in culture

We examined the effect of experimental diabetes on neurite regeneration fro m adult mouse retinal explants cultured in the presence of different concen trations of glucose. The numbers of regenerating neu rites at 3, 6 and 10 d ays in culture at normal glucose concentration (7 mM) were significantly sm aller in streptozotocin-induced diabetic C57BL/6 mice than in normal contro l mice. In contrast, treatment of retinal explants with high glucose concen tration (57 mM) significantly diminished the number of regenerating neurite s in the control mice, but not in the diabetic mice. These results suggest that retina in diabetic mice has impaired capability of neurite regeneratio n in a normal glucose environment, but is adaptable to a high glucose envir onment in vitro. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved .